A Touchy Subject: The Facts About Colorectal Cancer

Talking about it might be embarrassing. And thinking about it — well, you’d probably rather not. But the facts about colorectal cancer simply can’t be ignored. As the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States, colorectal cancer is detected in approximately 150,000 men and women each year. What makes these facts more tragic? Only about half of those who should undergo potentially lifesaving screenings do so.

But while colon cancer is one of the most deadly cancers, it is also one of the most treatable cancers when detected early. “Screenings for colorectal cancer remain stubbornly low,” says Thomas Weber, MD, chief of Surgery at the Jack D. Weiler Hospital of Albert Einstein College of Medicine, a Division of Montefiore Medical Center, and a professor of Surgery at Albert Einstein. “What many people may not realize is that appropriately timed screenings don’t just allow us to find colorectal cancer in the early stages — they allow us to identify and remove pre-malignant polyps, so we not only have a greater chance of beating the cancer, but we can actually prevent some people from developing the disease at all.”

Colorectal cancer (cancers of the colon or the rectum) can develop gradually from small non-cancerous growths on the lining of the colon and rectum called polyps. Early warning signs often include a change in bowel habits, blood in the stool, abdominal discomfort, weight loss, vomiting and fatigue — but many people diagnosed with colorectal cancer never show any symptoms at all.

Experts recommend that people at normal risk for colorectal cancer begin screenings at age 50. According to the American Cancer Society, there are several suggested colorectal cancer screening tests depending on a patient’s medical and family history and other risk factors. These tests include a fecal occult blood test to examine the stool for blood or a colonoscopy, a test during which doctors place a thin tube into the rectum and move it gently through the bowel to look for abnormal growths and remove polyps. Your doctor may recommend additional tests.

“You may feel awkward talking about these different test options, but it’s essential to good healthcare, so you and your doctor should be talking about them,” says Dr. Weber. “The best colorectal cancer screening test is a completed one,” he adds.

Montefiore Medical Center and the Albert Einstein Cancer Center take an active role in helping to reduce colorectal cancer rates in metropolitan New York through a joint initiative called Partners in Prevention. “Our goal is to get the word out about colon cancer screening and prevention, and to ultimately save lives,” says Dr. Weber, who directs the program.

Partners in Prevention aims to increase public awareness of colorectal cancer, prevention strategies and screening, supports efforts to screen the uninsured and promotes research into the causes of and cures for colorectal cancer. It established the New York Metropolitan Familial Colorectal Cancer Registry, which offers free colorectal cancer risk assessments for those at increased risk for developing the disease.

To learn more about the Montefiore-Einstein Cancer Center's Colorectal Cancer Program, visit: www.montefiore.org/colorectal.

Race Against Colon Cancer

Join the thousands of colon cancer survivors, family members and friends who will lace up their running shoes and head out to Central Park for the 4th Annual New York Colon Cancer Challenge on Sunday, March 11, 2007. The event, held in conjunction with Colon Cancer Awareness Month, is the premier colorectal cancer awareness event in the metropolitan New York area.

Runners can participate in either a 4-mile or 15K event. There’s also a 2-mile Remembrance and Prevention Walk to honor survivors or remember those who lost their battle with colorectal cancer. Proceeds benefit Partners in Prevention, a joint initiative of Montefiore Medical Center and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and the Colon Cancer Alliance, the voice of survivors.

Take The Challenge!

Sunday, March 11, 2007
Central Park, New York

To register, volunteer, make a pledge or learn more, call 718-430-2600 or visit: www.coloncancerchallenge.org